‘SL needs to implement 27 conventions for GSP+’

Sri Lanka needs to ensure that there is no serious failure on its part to implement the 27 international conventions at the desired level to be qualified for the GSP plus concession, Commerce Director General Sonali Wijeratne said.

“Looking at the regulations which are applicable to the European Parliament and Council, the facts of the case and the experience of others countries that have also thought of applying under various conditions, Sri Lanka has an excellent case.”

According to Wijeratne, Sri Lanka has to look at a compendium of other issues as to how long Sri Lanka can actually keep GSP plus concession going on by ensuring that there is no serious failure on the part of Sri Lanka to implement the conventions at the desired level. The country has to comply with 27 international conventions, which cut across a gamut of human rights, labour, environmental, governance issues,Wijeratne said adding that there should not be any reservations in any of those conventions.

“All these have to be shown up in order to be qualified for the GSP preference.” Wijeratne further added that the European commission through its report on the assessment of application for the GSP plus by Sri Lanka, released in January 2017 has unequivocally concluded that there is no serious failure to effectively implement any of the conventions.